Ice scoring machine



May 15, 1934. B. H. GILES ICE SCORING "MACHINE Original Filed July 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l k n I IHHMHHUH P H MHHHHHH- I- I l I I n Q MM Zlvvuentoz BynumH @1125 May 15, 1934. H GILES 1,958,425

ICE SCORING MACHINE Original Filed July 5, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 15, 1934.

B. H. GILES ICE SCORING MACHINE Original Filed July 5, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gmm'nlio'a BynumHGiles Patented May 15, 1934 ICE SCORING MACHINE Bynum H. Giles, Dallas, Tex.-

Application July 5, 1929, Serial No. 376,223 Renewed May 20, 1932' 10 Claims.

My invention relates to ice scoring machines and consists in certain improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of machines of the character shown in U. S.

Patents No. 1,521,449 and No. 1,676,192 granted respectively December 30, 1924 and July 3, 1928 to Aubrey M. Lee.

It is an object .of the invention to provide an ice scoring machine which will score opposite sides of a cake of ice both transversely and longitudinally as the cake passes through the machine without tilting, upending, raising, lowering, or otherwise changing the relative position of the same.

15 Another object is to provide a machine which is simpler and more compact in design and construction and which therefore can be manu actured at a comparatively moderate cost on account of its having fewer wearing parts and a machine in which the upkeep is small on account of the inexpensive construction to the end that such a machine is provided which not only will efficiently perform the operation for which it is designed but which will furnish the public a square cut, full weight of ice, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ice scoring machine illustrating one application of my invention,

Figure 2, a section on line 2.-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a section on line 34-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4, a detail perspective of a saw operating member.

In the drawings reference character indicates a bottom member or base plate upon which are mounted upright frame members 11 and 12 at its sides forming the sides of the frame, said frame members being preferably constructed of angle iron and each side cgrresponding in shape to the vertical cross section of the frustrum of a cone. A sill 13 extends longitudinally at ea h s de of th a e plat and se ves to reenforce the frame. Upright angle bars or vertical standards 14, there being preferably four n nu ber. a moun ed t eac i o the fram and p oj ct upw ey nd the frame m m e s 1 an Such m mbe 4 ar on ted by hor zo al cr ss m mb s 15 and 16.

A pair of projecting saw shafts 1'7 are journaled one at each ide ad a ent the front n f the machine, each of which is connected to and driven by an independent motor 18 at its upper end a d a plu a i o aw l9 and .0 are a i s ably mounted on each shaft. The saws on one shaft are mounted in opposed relation to the saws n th op t sh ft of h m ch n ai 6- saw ein ad sta e n a an m a to that described in the above mentioned patents.

A iiy wheel 17 and flexible coupling 17 are preferably interposed between each motor 18 and the saws on each saw shaft for serving their well-known functions. It will be understood that the saws l9 and 20 are adapted to score opposite sides of the ice cake in a horizontal direction as it passes through the machine.

In orderto carry the ice between the saws on the vertical shafts any desired form of conveyor may be used which, for the purpose of illustration in the present instance, comprises .a .conveyor chain 21 extending around sprockets 22.

The sprocket 22 at the front end of the machine is mounted in a bearing upon bracket 23 while the sprocket at the rear is mounted upon a shaft 24 by means of which it is driveni The sprocket chain has outwardly extending fingers or spurs 25 which are adapted to engage a block 89 of ice and move the same a predetermined distance through the machine where it momentarily stops to permit it to be scored vertically.

In order to score the cake of ice vertically 1 provide at the rear end of the machine elongated saws 8,5 26 instead of the usual rotary saws, such elongated or cross cut saws being mounted upon vertical shafts 27 having their upper ends threaded into supporting members 28 and secured in properly ad usted position by lock-nuts 29. The upper n s of t s p rt ng em 28 e p ov ded with horizontal bearings 30 for the reception of a transverse horizontal shaft 31 having its ends mounted in guide members 32, mounted to reciprocate vertically upon shafts 33 at opposite sides 85 of the machine, such vertical shafts being journaled in shafts 34 and 35 at the top and bottom of the machine. This permits the saws to be moved toward and from each other into-and out of engagement with the ice cake and also permits 1.00 them to be longitudinally reciprocated for performing the scoring operation.

A p i o pace cams 36 a xed o t s a 33 and such cams are enga ed by a reciprocating member ,3? having a roller 3'7 on its forward end 195 w i i a groo 38 in th m such member being mounted in a guide 39 fixed to the side mem r of t e rem ,As-t e a o ate on h shaft the roller .fOllowing the groove in the .cam will cause the reciprocating member to move the saws toward and from each other, and in order to permit this movement the guides are provided with slots 40. t will be noted that on account of the particular form of the groove 38 the saws will be moved slowly inwardly toward each other and rapidly outwardly.

The transverse shaft 31 which supports the saws is connected to a yoke 41 having bearings forming extremities 42 which house eccentrics 43 mounted upon a horizontal transverse shaft 44 such shaft being journaled in bearings 45 and 46 so that when the shaft 44 is rotated the eccentrics 43 fixed thereon will impart a reciprocating motion to the saws. The horizontal shaft 44 has a gear 4'7 fixed thereon which is driven from a motor 50 by a worm 48 on a shaft 49, a universal joint 49' being provided for the well known purpose.

From this construction it will be understood that when the motor is rotating the saws will be caused to reciprocate rapidly to perform the scoring operation and simultaneously caused to move slowly toward each other and rapidly apart after the completion of the scoring operation. The shafts 33 upon which the cams are mounted which move the saws in and out are driven from the shaft 44 by means of worms 5i on said shaft 44 meshing with worm gears 52' on the shafts 33.

In the present instance I drive the conveyor by the motor 50 from one end of the shaft 33, a

connection being had from a gear 51 on the lower end of the shaft 33 by an intermediate gear 52 engaging the pinion 53 on the lower end of the shaft 24. In the form shown, the front to rear dimension of the ice block is equal to 9.9 conveyor links, and the link-conveyor has fifty-four links with two lugs 25 spaced twenty-seven links apart and is carried on a nine-tooth sprocket 22 with its sprocket shaft 24 driven through a train of gears 51, 52, 53. Furthermore, the cam 36 is proportioned so that the saws 26 are moved inwardly during 12/30 of the revolution of the shafts 33, outwardly during 7/39 of the revolution thereof, and stand at rest during 11/30 of the revolution thereof, as is apparent from noting the relation of the cam grooves 38 to the thirty teeth shown on the gears 51. With this construction it is apparent that with the gearing 51, 52, 53 proportioned to rotate the shaft 24 three times the speed of the shaft 33, as by providing these gears with thirty, thirty and ten teeth respectively; and with each lug 25 leaving an ice block between the vertical scoring saws 26 coincident with the start of inward movement thereof: the movemerit of the conveyor 10.8 link-lengths during inward movement of the saws 26, will position the lugs 25 about as indicated in the drawings, that at the inner stretch of the conveyor having picked up an ice block passed into the front of the machine on end and started it through the rotary saws 20; its movement of 6.3 link-lengths during outward movement of the saws 26, will complete the conveying of the picked up block through the saws 20 and bring its front side just into contact with the rear side of the vertically scored block; and its remaining movement of 9.9 linklengths during the period of rest of the saws, being the front to rear dimension of the ice block. will leave the conveyed block in position for vertical scoring; the previously scored block being pushed out of the machine during this last phase of the movement. It is further apparent that with this arrangement two blocks may be operated upon simultaneously, as shown, one being scored vertically while the other is scored horizontally; and that the small travel of the saws 26 clear of the ice block at the end of their outward movement and the beginning of their inward movement will insure their being disengaged from the ice block entering or leaving the space between them even if a block should be of a slightly greater front to rear dimension than the 9.9 link-lengths contemplated in this illustrative construction.

In lieu of the fingers 25 on the conveyor chain other engaging means may be used as for example collapsible dogs or projections.

It will be readily understood that I have provided an ice scoring machine which will score the ice both horizontally and vertically as it passes through the machine without changing the position of the ice or, in other words, with the least movement of the ice and the fewest cutting operations.

It will be obvious to those skilled in'the art that many changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit ofmy invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame, saw shafts associated therewith, circular scor ing saws on saidshafts for scoring an ice block in one direction, a conveyor for the ice block, opposed reciprocable scoring saws disposed in position to form kerfs in the block at right angles to the kerf of the circular saws, means for driving the circular scoring saws, means for longitudinally reciprocating the reciprocable scoring saws, and means for moving the reciprocating scoring saws transversely of their direction of reciprocation to kerf the block as aforesaid.

' 2. In an ice scoring machine, a frame, opposed reciprocating scoring saws disposed in position to form a kerf, a motor for driving the reciproeating scoring saws, and means connecting said motor and saws for reciprocating the saws longitudinally and toward and fro-m each other, said means comprising a shaft driven by the motor, a shaft at right angles to the last mentioned shaft and driven thereby, parallel shafts adjacent opposite ends of the last mentioned shaft and driven therefrom, cams on the parallel shafts, a groove wheel engaging said cams and attached to the saws, and an eccentric supporting the saws from one of said shafts, whereby they will be caused to reciprocate, substantially as set forth.

3. In an ice scoring machine, a frame, opposed reciprocating saws mounted in said frame and positioned to form a kerf, a motor for actuating said reciprocating saws, means connecting said motor and said saws comprising a shaft driven by said motor, a second shaft mounted at right angles to said first-mentioned shaft and driven thereby, eccentrics mounted on said second shaft, a yoke mounted on said eccentrics and being connected to and for reciprocating said saws, parallel shafts mounted adjacent the ends of said second shaft and driven thereby, and means mounted on said parallel shafts operative connected to said saws for moving the said saws toward and from each other, substantially as set forth.

4. An ice scoring machine comprising a. frame adapted to receive and'support a block of ice on end, a vertical shaft having a plurality of circular saws mounted thereon, means for driving said shaft, means for moving the block of ice tangentially of said saws to transversely score the same, a pair of vertically reciprocable saws for cutting the block vertically to longitudinally score the same, means for vertically reciprocating said saws, and means for moving said saws transversely of their directions of reciprocation toward and from the block of ice to cut it Vertically as aforesaid, said block of ice being held stationary during the cutting by the vertically movable saws, substantially as set forth.

5. An ice scoring machine having means for scoring a block of ice when positioned on its end comprising a carriage for moving the block of ice, a pair of shafts, one on each side of said block of ice, said shafts having a plurality of circular saws mounted thereon, said block of ice being caused to stop shortly after passing the circular saws and a pair of vertically reciprocable saws movable toward and from the ice transversely of their directions of vertical reciprocation to cut the ice vertically, said scored ice being ejected by an incoming block, substantially as set forth.

6. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame defining an ice block receiving space, means adjacent said space for scoring an ice block horizontally as it passes therebetween, opposed reciprocable scoring saws positioned adjacent said space for kerfing opposite faces of the block in vertical planes, means for reciprocating said saws longitudinally, and means for producing relative movement of said saws and ice block to cause entry of the saws into the ice block, in said vertical planes, and transversely of their directions of longitudinal reciprocation.

'7. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame defining an ice-block receiving space, means adjacent said space for scoring an ice-block horizontally as it passes therebetween, a reciprocable scoring saw positioned adjacent said space for kerfing the block in a vertical plane, means for reciprocating said saw longitudinally in said vertical plane and means for feeding said saw transversely of its direction of longitudinal movement,

in said vertical plane, and into an ice block in the receiving space to score the same.

8. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame defining an ice-block receiving space, means adjacent said space for scoring an ice block horizontally as it passes therebetween, a reciprocable scoring saw positioned adjacent said space for kerfing the block in a vertical plane, means for reciprocating said saw longitudinally in said vertical plane and means for feeding and retracting said saw transversely of its direction of longitudinal movement, in said vertical plane, to score an ice block in the receiving space, said last named means retracting said saw more rapidly than it feeds the same into the ice block. 7

9. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame defining a space to receive an ice block being scored, means adjacent said space for scoring the ice block horizontally as it passes therebetween, scoring means vertically reciprocable at opposite sides of the ice block receiving space, means to move said scoring means transversely of the directions of vertical reciprocation thereof to enter the block receiving space for scoring a block positioned therein, and means to retract said scoring means to positions laterally of said block receiving space to enable movement of ice blocks into and from the machine.

10. An ice scoring machine comprising a frame defining a space to receive an ice block being scored, means adjacent said space for scoring the ice block horizontally as it passes therebetween, scoring means vertically reciprocable at opposite sides of the ice block receiving space, means to move said scoring means transversely of the directions of vertical reciprocation thereof to enter the block receiving space for scoring a block positioned therein, means to retract said scoring means to positions laterally of said block receiving space to enable movement of ice blocks into and from the machine, and power means for moving ice blocks to and from said ice receiving space and between the horizontal scoring means in timed relation to the transverse movement of the vertical scoring means while retracted.

BYNUM H. GILES. 

